The document discusses the concept of fun and its role in learning, specifically within the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum. It defines fun and discusses how PDHPE incorporates fun through activities like games and sports. It argues that learning can be fun and that PDHPE is uniquely positioned to integrate fun into the learning process. It also outlines the benefits of play and how different environments can support playful learning.

1. WARNING THE NATURE OF THE
PROCEEDING PAGES MAY
CONTAINS TRACES OF FUN!!
What is fun!!??
FUN * n. 1 lively or playful amusement. * atrrib. Adj. colloq. Amusing , enjoyable (a fun thing to do)
Function * n. 1 a proper or necessary role, activity or purpose. b official or professional duty.
2 public or social occasion.
So by definition the Function of FUN as a thing, a noun intrinsically associated with a lively or playful amusement.
A tool perhaps for our ‘amusement’:
Amuse v. 1 cause to laugh or smile.
Amusement n. 1 thing that amuses. 2 state of being amused.
Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary (6th
ed.).
What are some activities associated with FUN?? Can any or all activity be associated with FUN?? Is FUN an end or
the means?? Could learning be FUN?? Is games the first thing that came to mind when thinking of FUN.
FUN is not a prerequisite of learning but highly sought after, since PDHPE the Key Learning Area within the current
curriculum fundamentally entwined with the ‘notion of health that encompasses all aspects of an individual’s
wellbeing, inclusive of social, mental, physical and spiritual health’. (PDHPE K-6 Syllabus, 2007).
Out of the six KLA’S:
•Creative Arts
•Human Society and Its Environment
•English: Talking and Listening, Reading Writing
•Mathematics
•Personal Development Health and Physical Education
•Science and Technology
•only PDHPE has GAMES carved into its inner core, “games and sports”.

2. GAMES AND PLAY
Play; synonymous with Games, not to forget Sports, after all, we play
sports.
The simplicity in format of these slides is to instill a truth, we have all
played, as children; a biological phenomenon, intrinsic to the fabric of time,
so it should not be a hard principal to grasp, hard to sell.
PDHPE recaptures elements of FUN through Games and Sports, Dance,
Active Lifestyle always emphasizing safety and health pedagogy.
Most literature on physical education advocate for a minimum of 60
minutes of moderate physical activity per day.
The benefits of play are many: social, emotional, physical and cognitive
developmental values. Creating friendships, engaging children with a
range of feelings, boosting healthy blood circulation: hormones etc, children
who are active remain engaged in all forms of activity.
Parents playing with their own children is the best way to advocate for a
healthy Lifestyle, it should not just be the job of teachers to engage with
children in FUN we are all stakeholders in the development of children.
(Burdette & Whitaker, 2005)

3. ENVIRONMENTS OF PLAY
No matter the weather hail, rain or shine, children should be
engaging in play, why?? Because its FUN and its when children are
developing their movement skills, so weather should not hinder
child play but challenge the mind of children to wonder and create
their own environments of play.
How do children play?
•Structured play
•Social play, sole play
•Creative-imaginary
•Role play
•Playground
•Natural
•Risk adventure
•Street play
(Play Council, 2000)

4. CURRICULAR ACTIVITY
 Education builds strong and wise societies, the pedagogy behind
PDHPE is to open up the curriculum to an innovative
interpretation of the values of learning and enjoying the
interaction of one self with others.
 One of the most revolutionary elements that PDHPE brings to
learning is the realization that we don’t necessarily require a
class room for learning or teaching for that matter. “Learning can
occur outdoors, all around us in fields, gardens, playgrounds,
courts, parks etc.”.
 By allowing FUN to enter into the learning process, children
develop a new way to absorb information which they equate with
enjoyment, FUN.
 PDHPE is also primarily responsible with teaching children the
importance of Personal Development and Health, not just of
oneself but also of others, for the present and for the future.
(PDHPE K-6 Syllabus, 2007)

5. $$$$$$VALUE OF GAMES AND PLAY$$$$$
PDHPE
 Learning, besides been an activity cherished amongst most societies for its
epistemological value, it is a great institution to also value the interaction
with other people. Cooperative Learning is a great democratic method to
teach children the means of working together as a collective group.
(Johnson & Johnson, 1981; Gordon, 1989)
 PDHPE can be seen as the most important of all the KLA’s, by the way
that it can incorporate FUN into all forms of learning, teachers in the eyes
of children by definition become someone FUN and I believe we all like
FUN people.
 Using intrinsic and extrinsic principals children develop values and get
an understanding for how their drives motivate their actions.
 PDHPE by having Health and Safety as an integral strand in its pedagogy
encourages children to develop and put to use all the values that they
have learned in school for a long, long time of Healthy FUN .

6. REFERENCESREFERENCES
Arthur-Kelly, M., Lyons, G., Butterfield, N., & Gordon, C. (2007).Arthur-Kelly, M., Lyons, G., Butterfield, N., & Gordon, C. (2007). ClassroomClassroom
management: creating positivemanagement: creating positive learning environments.learning environments. Cengage LearningCengage Learning AustraliaAustralia
Pty Limited.Pty Limited.
Board of Studies N.S.W. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical EducationBoard of Studies N.S.W. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
K-6.K-6.
Gordon, T. (1989).Gordon, T. (1989). Teaching children self-discipline… at home and at school: New WaysTeaching children self-discipline… at home and at school: New Ways
for parents and Teachers to Build Self-Control, Self-Esteem, and Self-for parents and Teachers to Build Self-Control, Self-Esteem, and Self-
Reliance.Reliance. Times Books. Random House. USA.Times Books. Random House. USA.
Burdette, H. L. & Whitaker, R. C. (2005).Burdette, H. L. & Whitaker, R. C. (2005). Resurrecting free play in young children:Resurrecting free play in young children:
looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect.looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect. ArchArch
Pediatr Adolesc Med,Pediatr Adolesc Med, vol.159, Jan 2005. Retrieved fromvol.159, Jan 2005. Retrieved from
www.archpediatrics.comwww.archpediatrics.com
Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. J. (2009). An educational psychology success story: socialJohnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. J. (2009). An educational psychology success story: social
interdependence theory and cooperative learning.interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational ResearcherEducational Researcher
38.5 (Jun/Jul): 365-379. Retrieved from38.5 (Jun/Jul): 365-379. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/216903269?accounthttp://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/216903269?account id=36155id=36155
NSW Department of Education and Training Curriculum Support Directorate. (2000).NSW Department of Education and Training Curriculum Support Directorate. (2000).
Get skilled: get active. A K-6 resource to support the teaching of fundamentalGet skilled: get active. A K-6 resource to support the teaching of fundamental
movement skills.movement skills.

7. REFERENCESREFERENCES
Arthur-Kelly, M., Lyons, G., Butterfield, N., & Gordon, C. (2007).Arthur-Kelly, M., Lyons, G., Butterfield, N., & Gordon, C. (2007). ClassroomClassroom
management: creating positivemanagement: creating positive learning environments.learning environments. Cengage LearningCengage Learning AustraliaAustralia
Pty Limited.Pty Limited.
Board of Studies N.S.W. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical EducationBoard of Studies N.S.W. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
K-6.K-6.
Gordon, T. (1989).Gordon, T. (1989). Teaching children self-discipline… at home and at school: New WaysTeaching children self-discipline… at home and at school: New Ways
for parents and Teachers to Build Self-Control, Self-Esteem, and Self-for parents and Teachers to Build Self-Control, Self-Esteem, and Self-
Reliance.Reliance. Times Books. Random House. USA.Times Books. Random House. USA.
Burdette, H. L. & Whitaker, R. C. (2005).Burdette, H. L. & Whitaker, R. C. (2005). Resurrecting free play in young children:Resurrecting free play in young children:
looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect.looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect. ArchArch
Pediatr Adolesc Med,Pediatr Adolesc Med, vol.159, Jan 2005. Retrieved fromvol.159, Jan 2005. Retrieved from
www.archpediatrics.comwww.archpediatrics.com
Johnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. J. (2009). An educational psychology success story: socialJohnson, D. W. & Johnson, R. J. (2009). An educational psychology success story: social
interdependence theory and cooperative learning.interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational ResearcherEducational Researcher
38.5 (Jun/Jul): 365-379. Retrieved from38.5 (Jun/Jul): 365-379. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/216903269?accounthttp://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/216903269?account id=36155id=36155
NSW Department of Education and Training Curriculum Support Directorate. (2000).NSW Department of Education and Training Curriculum Support Directorate. (2000).
Get skilled: get active. A K-6 resource to support the teaching of fundamentalGet skilled: get active. A K-6 resource to support the teaching of fundamental
movement skills.movement skills.